The Current Opinion journals were developed out of the recognition that it is increasingly difficult for specialists to keep up to date with the expanding volume of information published in their subject. Elsevier’s Current Opinion journals comprise of 13 leading titles in life sciences and adjacent fields.

Current Opinion in Pharmacology

IMPACT FACTOR: 6.856
5-Year Impact Factor: 6.924
Issues per year: 6 issues
Editorial Board

Current Opinion in Pharmacology

The Current Opinion journals were developed out of the recognition that it is increasingly difficult for specialists to keep up to date with the expanding volume of information published in their subject. In Current Opinion in Pharmacology, we help the reader by providing in a systematic manner:
1. The views of experts on current advances in pharmacology in a clear and readable form.
2. Evaluations of the most interesting papers, annotated by experts, from the great wealth of original publications

Division of the subject into sections
The subject of pharmacology is divided into themed sections, each of which is reviewed once a year. The amount of space devoted to each section is related to its importance.

NeurosciencesCardiovascular and renalRespiratoryMusculoskeletalCancerImmunomodulationAnti-infectives • New technologiesGastrointestinalEndocrine and metabolic diseases

Selection of topics to be reviewed
Section Editors, who are major authorities in the field, are appointed by the Editors of the journal. They divide their section into a number of topics, ensuring that the field is comprehensively covered and that all issues of current importance are emphasised. Section Editors commission reviews from authorities on each topic that they have selected.

Reviews
Authors write short review articles in which they present recent developments in their subject, emphasising the aspects that, in their opinion, are most important. In addition, they provide short annotations to the papers that they consider to be most interesting from all those published in their topic over the previous year.

Editorial Overview
Section Editors write a short overview at the beginning of the section to introduce the reviews and to draw the reader's attention to any particularly interesting developments.

Ethics in Publishing: General Statement

The Editor(s) and Publisher of this Journal believe that there are fundamental principles underlying scholarly or professional publishing. While this may not amount to a formal 'code of conduct', these fundamental principles with respect to the authors' paper are that the paper should: i) be the authors' own original work, which has not been previously published elsewhere, ii) reflect the authors' own research and analysis and do so in a truthful and complete manner, iii) properly credit the meaningful contributions of co-authors and co-researchers, iv) not be submitted to more than one journal for consideration, and v) be appropriately placed in the context of prior and existing research. Of equal importance are ethical guidelines dealing with research methods and research funding, including issues dealing with informed consent, research subject privacy rights, conflicts of interest, and sources of funding. While it may not be possible to draft a 'code' that applies adequately to all instances and circumstances, we believe it useful to outline our expectations of authors and procedures that the Journal will employ in the event of questions concerning author conduct. With respect to conflicts of interest, the Publisher now requires authors to declare any conflicts of interest that relate to papers accepted for publication in this Journal. A conflict of interest may exist when an author or the author's institution has a financial or other relationship with other people or organizations that may inappropriately influence the author's work. A conflict can be actual or potential and full disclosure to the Journal is the safest course. All submissions to the Journal must include disclosure of all relationships that could be viewed as presenting a potential conflict of interest. The Journal may use such information as a basis for editorial decisions and may publish such disclosures if they are believed to be important to readers in judging the manuscript. A decision may be made by the Journal not to publish on the basis of the declared conflict.

For more information, please refer to: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/authorshome.authors/conflictsofinterest

Best Cited over the last year.

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Targeting the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway: progress, pitfalls, and promises

The strategy of 'drugging the cancer kinome' has led to the successful development and regulatory approval of several novel molecular targeted agents. The spotlight is now shifting to the phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway as a key potential target. This review details the role of the pathway in oncogenesis and the rationale for inhibiting its vital components. The focus will be on the progress made in the development of novel therapies for…

Volume 8, Issue 4, 01 August 2008, Pp 393-412
Yap, T.A. | Garrett, M.D. | Walton, M.I. | Raynaud, F. | de Bono, J.S. | Workman, P.

Targeting Hsp90: small-molecule inhibitors and their clinical development

The Hsp90 multichaperone complex has important roles in the development and progression of malignant transformation. Several small-molecule inhibitors of Hsp90 of diverse chemotypes have shown potent antitumor activity in a wide-range of malignancies, and are currently in clinical or late-stage preclinical investigation. This review intends to update the reader on advances made over the past two years in the clinical development of Hsp90 inhibitors in advanced cancers. It will refer to the two…

Volume 8, Issue 4, 01 August 2008, Pp 370-374
Taldone, T. | Gozman, A. | Maharaj, R. | Chiosis, G.

Targeting the androgen receptor pathway in prostate cancer

When prostate cancers progress following androgen depletion therapy, there are currently few treatment options with only one, docetaxel, that has been shown to prolong life. Recent work has shown that castration-resistant prostate cancers (CRPCs) continue to depend on androgen receptor (AR) signaling which is reactivated despite low serum androgen levels. Currently available AR-targeted therapy, including GnRH agonists and antiandrogens, cannot completely shut down AR signaling. Several…

Volume 8, Issue 4, 01 August 2008, Pp 440-448
Chen, Y. | Sawyers, C.L. | Scher, H.I.

Epigenetic targets of HDAC inhibition in neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders

Epigenetic chromatin remodeling and modifications of DNA represent central mechanisms for regulation of gene expression during brain development and in memory formation. Emerging evidence implicates epigenetic modifications in disorders of synaptic plasticity and cognition. This review focuses on recent findings that HDAC inhibitors can ameliorate deficits in synaptic plasticity, cognition, and stress-related behaviors in a wide range of neurologic and psychiatric disorders including…

Volume 8, Issue 1, 01 February 2008, Pp 57-64
Abel, T. | Zukin, R.S.

Dissecting components of reward: 'liking', 'wanting', and learning

In recent years significant progress has been made delineating the psychological components of reward and their underlying neural mechanisms. Here we briefly highlight findings on three dissociable psychological components of reward: 'liking' (hedonic impact), 'wanting' (incentive salience), and learning (predictive associations and cognitions). A better understanding of the components of reward, and their neurobiological substrates, may help in devising improved treatments for disorders of…

Volume 9, Issue 1, 01 February 2009, Pp 65-73
Berridge, K.C. | Robinson, T.E. | Aldridge, J.W.

Novel trends in high-throughput screening

High-throughput screening (HTS) is a well-established process for lead discovery in Pharma and Biotech companies and is now also being used for basic and applied research in academia. It comprises the screening of large chemical libraries for activity against biological targets via the use of automation, miniaturized assays and large-scale data analysis. Since its first advent in the early to mid 1990s, the field of HTS has seen not only a continuous change in technology and processes, but also…

Volume 9, Issue 5, 01 October 2009, Pp 580-588
Mayr, L.M. | Bojanic, D.

Targeted therapy for cancer using PARP inhibitors

Poly (ADP-ribose) Polymerase (PARP) has a well-established role in DNA repair processes, and small molecule inhibitors of PARP have been developed as chemotherapy sensitisers for the treatment of cancer. The subsequent demonstration that PARP inhibition is selective for BRCA1 or BRCA2 deficiency suggests that PARP inhibitors may be particularly useful for the treatment of cancer with BRCA mutations. This would represent one of the first clinically implemented examples of a synthetic lethal…

Volume 8, Issue 4, 01 August 2008, Pp 363-369
Lord, C.J. | Ashworth, A.

Vitamin D: Modulator of the immune system

1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (1,25(OH) 2D 3), the active form of vitamin D, is known to regulate calcium and phosphorus metabolism, thus being a key-player in bone-formation. However 1,25(OH) 2D 3 also has a physiological role beyond its well-known role in skeletal homeostasis. Here, we describe 1,25(OH) 2D 3 as an immunomodulator targeting various immune cells, including monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells (DCs), as well as T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes, hence modulating both innate and…

Volume 10, Issue 4, 01 August 2010, Pp 482-496
Baeke, F. | Takiishi, T. | Korf, H. | Gysemans, C. | Mathieu, C.

Inflammation and cancer: how friendly is the relationship for cancer patients?

Evidence has emerged in the last two decades that at the molecular level most chronic diseases, including cancer, are caused by a dysregulated inflammatory response. The identification of transcription factors such as NF-κB, AP-1 and STAT3 and their gene products such as tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1, interleukin-6, chemokines, cyclooxygenase-2, 5 lipooxygenase, matrix metalloproteases, and vascular endothelial growth factor, adhesion molecules and others have provided the molecular…

Volume 9, Issue 4, 01 August 2009, Pp 351-369
Aggarwal, B.B. | Gehlot, P.

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and its receptors

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a bioactive phospholipid, and its family of cognate G protein-coupled receptors have demonstrated roles in many biological functions in the nervous system. To date, five LPA receptors have been identified, and additional receptors may exist. Most of these receptors have been genetically deleted in mice toward identifying biological and medically relevant roles. In addition, small molecule agonists and antagonists have been reported. Here we review recent data on the…

Volume 9, Issue 1, 01 February 2009, Pp 15-23
Noguchi, K. | Herr, D. | Mutoh, T. | Chun, J.

Recent progress in the development of selected hepatitis C virus NS3·4A protease and NS5B polymerase inhibitors

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a pressing medical problem worldwide. Current therapy with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin (Peg-IFN/RBV) is associated with a poor risk benefit profile, a long treatment duration (48 weeks) and inadequate success rate (∼40-50%) of SVR (sustained viral response) in patients infected with genotype 1 HCV. This review is focused on recent clinical trial results with specifically targeted antiviral therapy for HCV (STAT-C) protease and polymerase…

Volume 8, Issue 5, 01 October 2008, Pp 522-531
Kwong, A.D. | McNair, L. | Jacobson, I. | George, S.

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) as pharmacological targets for neurodegenerative diseases

A significant drop of tissue pH or acidosis is a common feature of acute neurological conditions such as ischemic stroke, brain trauma, and epileptic seizures. Acid-sensing ion channels, or ASICs, are proton-gated cation channels widely expressed in peripheral sensory neurons and in the neurons of the central nervous system. Recent studies have demonstrated that activation of these channels by protons plays an important role in a variety of physiological and pathological processes such as…

Volume 8, Issue 1, 01 February 2008, Pp 25-32
Xiong, Z.-G. | Pignataro, G. | Li, M. | Chang, S.-y. | Simon, R.P.

Cellular mechanisms of insulin resistance: role of stress-regulated serine kinases and insulin receptor substrates (IRS) serine phosphorylation

Insulin receptor substrates (IRS) serine phosphorylation is a time-controlled physiological feedback mechanism in insulin signaling that is hijacked by metabolic and inflammatory stresses to promote insulin resistance. Kinases, including IKKβ, JNK, ERK, mTOR, and S6K, activated by the inducers of insulin resistance induce uncontrolled IRS serine phosphorylation. Studies with genetically modified mice reveal that these kinases integrate signals from metabolic and inflammatory stresses in adipose…

Volume 9, Issue 6, 01 December 2009, Pp 753-762
Tanti, J.-F. | Jager, J.

Interplay between obesity and associated metabolic disorders: new insights into the gut microbiota

Obesity and associated metabolic disorders are worldwide epidemic. The literature provides new evidence that gut microbiota dysbiosis (at the phyla, genus, or species level) affects host metabolism and energy storage. Here we discuss new findings that may explain how gut microbiota can be involved in the development or in the control of obesity and associated low-grade inflammation. New powerful molecular biology methods and the use of gnotobiotic animal allowed to analyze the molecular link…

Volume 9, Issue 6, 01 December 2009, Pp 737-743
Cani, P.D. | Delzenne, N.M.

Renaissance in antibacterial discovery from actinomycetes

The soil actinomycetes have been important sources of antibiotics, but were nearly abandoned in recent years in favor of high-throughput target-based screening of chemical libraries. The latter approach has not been productive, so it is time to reinvigorate the discovery of new antibiotics from a proven source. Recent progress has been made on antibiotic discovery from actinomycetes by using high-throughput fermentation, isolation of marine actinomycetes, mining genomes for cryptic pathways,…

Volume 8, Issue 5, 01 October 2008, Pp 557-563
Baltz, R.H.

microRNAs and the immune response

Although the immune response is predominantly controlled at the transcriptional level, microRNA-mediated RNA interference is emerging as an important regulatory mechanism that operates at the translation level. Specifically, recent studies indicate that those miRNAs that are selectively and/or highly expressed in immune cells including the miR-17-92 cluster, miR-150, miR-155, miR-181 and miR-223 have a 'permissive' function in the maturation, proliferation and differentiation of myeloid and…

Volume 9, Issue 4, 01 August 2009, Pp 514-520
Tsitsiou, E. | Lindsay, M.A.

Adenosine as a neuromodulator in neurological diseases

Adenosine is a modulator of brain function uniquely positioned to integrate excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission. The past few years brought a wealth of new data fostering our understanding of how the adenosine system is involved in the pathogenesis of neurological diseases. Thus, dysregulation of the adenosine system is implicated in epileptogenesis and cell therapies have been developed to locally augment adenosine in an approach to prevent seizures. While activation of inhibitory…

Volume 8, Issue 1, 01 February 2008, Pp 2-7
Boison, D.

Src and focal adhesion kinase as therapeutic targets in cancer

Over the past few years small molecule inhibitors of both Src family kinases and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) have entered clinical studies for the treatment of solid tumours. These adhesion-linked kinases are involved in a number of pathways that have impact on the behaviour of tumour cells and the challenge is now, how to take these forward in the clinical setting. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Volume 8, Issue 4, 01 August 2008, Pp 427-432
Brunton, V.G. | Frame, M.C.

Multiphasic roles for matrix metalloproteinases after stroke

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) comprise a family of zinc endopeptidases that play major roles in the physiology and pathology of the mammalian central nervous system (CNS). These proteinases are evolutionarily conserved as modulators of extracellular matrix during CNS development. After acute tissue injury such as that which occurs after stroke, MMPs become dysregulated and subsequently mediate acute neurovascular disruption and parenchymal destruction. Data from gene knockout models and…

Volume 8, Issue 1, 01 February 2008, Pp 82-89
Rosell, A. | Lo, E.H.

Recent progress in fragment-based lead discovery

Fragment-based methods have emerged as a new strategy for drug discovery. The main advantages are that useful starting points for lead identification for most targets can be identified from a relatively small (typically 1000-member) library of low molecular weight compounds. The main constraints are the need for a method that can reliably detect weak binding and strategies for evolving the fragments into larger lead compounds. The approach has been validated recently as series of compounds from…

Volume 9, Issue 5, 01 October 2009, Pp 615-621
Schulz, M.N. | Hubbard, R.E.

Poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase 1 (PARP-1) and postischemic brain damage

Poly(ADP-ribose)polymerases (PARPs) are enzymes that are able to catalyze the transfer of ADP-ribose units from NAD to substrate proteins and are particularly abundant in cell nuclei where they play key roles in the maintenance of genomic integrity, control of cell cycle and gene expression. Brain ischemia overactivates PARPs and PARP-deficient mice or animal treated with PARP inhibitors have a drastically reduced brain damage in various stroke models. PARP 'overactivation' occurs not only in…

Volume 8, Issue 1, 01 February 2008, Pp 96-103
Moroni, F.

Peripheral mechanisms of opioid analgesia

Potent and clinically significant analgesic effects can be brought about by opioids acting outside the central nervous system. Injury and inflammation of peripheral tissues leads to increased synthesis, axonal transport, membrane-directed trafficking and G-protein coupling of opioid receptors in dorsal root ganglion neurons. These events are dependent on neuronal electrical activity, cytokines and nerve growth factor and lead to an enhanced analgesic efficacy of peripherally active opioids.…

Volume 9, Issue 1, 01 February 2009, Pp 3-8
Stein, C. | Lang, L.J.

Single-domain antibodies as building blocks for novel therapeutics

Antibodies are large and complex molecules, with two identical parts that bind independently of each other onto the antigen and the third part of the molecule that dictates the effector function(s). To improve the therapeutic value of antibodies, protein-engineering endeavors reduced the size of the antigen-binding moiety to a single-domain unit. Occasionally, it was demonstrated that the single-domain antigen-binding derivatives of antibodies can have - on their own - an agonistic (or…

Volume 8, Issue 5, 01 October 2008, Pp 600-608
Saerens, D. | Ghassabeh, G.H. | Muyldermans, S.

Discovering and improving novel peptide therapeutics

Peptides have a number of advantages over small molecules in terms of specificity and affinity for targets, and over antibodies in terms of size. However, sensitivity to serum and tissue proteases coupled with short serum half-life has resulted in few recombinant library derived peptides, making the transition from lead to drug on the market. Recently, a series of technologies have been developed to address both these issues: selection methodologies addressing protease resistance have been…

Volume 8, Issue 5, 01 October 2008, Pp 616-619
McGregor, D.P.

New insights into mechanisms of statin-associated myotoxicity

Statin drugs represent a major improvement in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia that constitutes the main origin of atherosclerosis, leading to coronary heart disease. Besides the tremendous beneficial effects of statins, various forms of muscular toxicity (myalgia, cramp, exercise intolerance, fatigability) occur frequently. Many hypotheses were proposed to explain statin myotoxicity. The goal of this review is to highlight some of the most recent findings that can account for interpreting…

Volume 8, Issue 3, 01 June 2008, Pp 333-338
Sirvent, P. | Mercier, J. | Lacampagne, A.